5 Facebook privacy settings you need to check now

Facebook is a fabulous way to connect with friends and family. Of course, Facebook is also a spectacular way to embarrass yourself. And it happens almost every day.

Users post personal photos and intimate status updates that they think only a few friends will see. Then the posts get broadcast to friends of friends or - worse - everyone.

Anyone can be surprised by an episode of oversharing if they're not paying attention - even Randi Zuckerberg, a former Facebook executive and sister of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Last month, she posted a family photo intended for friends, but didn't choose the right privacy setting. A friend of another Zuckerberg sister grabbed it and posted it on Twitter.

And Facebook's announcement this week of a new tool call Graph Search - which will let you sift through photos, places and more that have been shared on Facebook - also makes this a really good time to check some of your privacy settings. For now, it's in a very limited beta trial as Facebook develops the product.

Fortunately, Facebook has a new tool to help simplify your privacy settings. In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you probably also missed it. That's OK; it's easy to find.